Jaylen Brown Praises Potential Playoff Opponent With Flattering Comparison originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Charlotte Hornets gave the Boston Celtics everything they could handle on Tuesday night at TD Garden, racing out to a double-digit lead in the first quarter and keeping the game close for most of the evening. The Celtics didn’t pull away until the fourth quarter, emerging with a hard-fought 113-102 victory.

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While Boston came out on top, the Hornets kept things close in almost every category despite running out of steam during the fourth quarter, when they were simply unable to keep up with the Celtics’ superior talent.

Jaylen Brown, who led Boston with 35 points and nine rebounds in another MVP-caliber performance, praised Charlotte after the game with a flattering comparison.

“This team kind of reminds me of us when we were younger,” Brown told sideline reporter Ashley ShahAhmadi after the game. “Young group, shoot the ball well, got a lot of different guys who can beat you, and they got a fearlessness, so they came out ready to play. Today was like a playoff-like game, and we found a way to win.”

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Led by young stars like LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller and Rookie of the Year candidate Kon Knueppel, the Hornets have emerged as legitimate contenders in the Eastern Conference this year. After getting off to a slow start, they’ve been one of the best teams in basketball over the past two and a half months, going 27-9 over their last 36 games.

Two of those losses came against the Celtics, but so did one of their wins. There’s a chance they’ll meet again in the playoffs depending on how the postseason bracket shakes out.

Based on how Charlotte’s played Boston this year, it would be an entertaining series.

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